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Jan 26, 2010

Tuesday January 26, 2010 Dan Naddor

Theme: Saintly Cities of Cee A - Add SAN (61A) to the first names of 16A, 20A, 33A, and 59A to get cities in 56A.

16A: *Big name in tequila: JOSE CUERVO. Tracy Byrd might buy you a round. San Jose.

20A: *Mexican muralist: DIEGO RIVERA. Self-portrait. San Diego.

33A: *Spanish painter (1746-1828): FRANCISCO GOYA. Self-portrait. (No Nude Maja today). San Francisco.

50A: *Roger Federer rival: RAFAEL NADAL. Tennis Poster Boy. San Rafael.

56A: Home to this puzzle's theme: CALIFORNIA.

61A: Word that forms a city when combined with the first names in answers to starred clues: SAN.

Argyle here.

I thought for sure this was at least a Thursday puzzle, what with all the open squares I had but when I got to the South-West corner (how appropriate), 61A turned on the light bulb and filled in the picket fences. Still, it is a hard Tuesday but it is Dan's and it is doable.

Here is a list of more "San" cities in California.

Across:

1A: "I did it!": "TA-DA!".

5A: Outplays: BESTS.

10A: Jack's inferior: TEN. (playing cards)

13A: Holly genus: ILEX.

14A: Draw a better bead on: RE-AIM. I didn't find it in the Dictionary.com.

15A: Pitcher Hideo: NOMO. Nomo was the second Japanese native to pitch in the major leagues, and was famous for his "tornado" delivery.

18A: Gossip tidbit: ITEM.

19A: Abu Dhabi's federation: Abbr.: UAE. United Arab Emirates

22A: Actor Brody of "The Pianist": ADRIEN. (his abs)

24A: Pep: ENERGY.

25A: __ one mind: disagreeing: NOT OF.

26A: Fri. preceder: THU..

29A: Short film role: CAMEO. Hitchcock was famous for his brief appearances in his films.

30A: Some: A FEW.

31A: On the double: PRONTO.

38A: For all to see: OPENLY.

39A: Submissive: MEEK.

41A: Gas brand with a landmark sign outside Fenway Park: CITGO.

45A: Vegas cube: DIE. (plural is dice)

46A: Iraqi seaport: BASRA.

47A: Opposed (to): AVERSE.

49A: "The Picture of __ Gray": DORIAN. The only published novel (1891) by Oscar Wilde, it was made into a film and released in 1945, featuring Hurd Hatfield as Dorian.

54A: Gold units: Abbr.: KTS.. In U.S., karat is used for "proportion of fine gold in an alloy". CA, the Gold Coast.

55A: Big pictures: Abbr.: ENLS.. (enlargements)

58A: Fight-ending calls, briefly: TKOS.

59A: Insect stage: IMAGO.

60A: Animal whose fur was used for Crockett's cap: COON. What boy wouldn't want one.

62A: Slow to catch on: DENSE. Like me and today's offering.

63A: Barley beards: AWNS. Is it a "gimme" yet?

Down:

1D: Baja border city: TIJUANA. And not far from San Diego.

2D: What you "take" when you sit down: A LOAD OFF. (off your feet)

3D: Military no-show: DESERTER. They're locked-up in TIJUANA!

4D: Lumberjack's tool: AXE.

5D: UCLA player: BRUIN. No Boston Bruin today, wrong coast.

6D: Extra wide, on a shoebox: EEEE.

7D: Puppeteer Tony: SARG.

8D: VCR successor: TIVO.

9D: Campfire treat: S'MORE. Who can have just one S'MORE?

10D: For the full length of a pregnancy: TO TERM.

11D: Come to light: EMERGE.

12D: "Skip the sandwich dressing": "NO MAYO". Words I've never said.

15D: Skin care brand: NIVEA.

17D: B-G link: CDEF. (alphabetically)

21D: Working undercover, for short: INCOG. (incognito)

23D: Corn Belt state: IOWA. I'll bet it hurt to have put a Midwestern state in this CA puzzle.

26D: Gave it a shot: TRIED.

27D: Mubarak of Egypt: HOSNI.

28D: "I give up!": "UNCLE!".

31D: Angel dust, briefly: PCP.

32D: Happy Meal extra: TOY.

34D: Lariat loop: NOOSE.

35D: Poet Khayyám: OMAR.

36D: "That's not news to me": "YES, I KNOW".

37D: Soda-making process: AERATION. Puts the bubbles in it.

40D: Topeka natives: KANSANS.

41D: Insertion marks: CARETS. This.

42D: The Donald's daughter: IVANKA. Her mother is Ivana.She born October 30, 1981.

43D: Nonstick coating: TEFLON.

44D: Lawn makeup: GRASS.

46D: Western tie: BOLO. What the good old boys are wearing.

48D: Spanish hero played by Heston: EL CID.

49D: Willem of "Spider-Man": DAFOE. No abs shot for him.

51D: Appoint: NAME.

53D: Uses a spade: DIGS.

57D: Color TV pioneer: RCA.

Answer grid.

Starting in February we'll only see Dan Naddor's puzzles every other week.

Argyle